MONROVIA – Mr. McCarthy Weh, head of the Legislative Information Service (LIS) has urged members of Senate to pass into law the draft bill calling for the fixing of lawmakers’ salary to US$5,000 as submitted by Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon.
Mr. Weh in a communication to the office of Senate Pro-Tempore Albert Chie said the bill, if enacted, will accrue national and institutional benefits of significance.
“In continuation of our legislative advisory role, I write to advise Members of the Senate to garner and harness the fortitude and ‘sacrifice for country’ attitude to pass into law the 5k Bill submitted but with some adjustments or additions clearly expressed in this communication.
“From our lenses, the positives and benefits associated with the bill in question far outweigh the drawback(s).”
In the letter written to the office of the Senate Pro-Tempore, the LIS director said the draft Act like any other, embeds in it, the pros and cons, somewhat positives and negatives.
The proponent of the bill, Sen. Dillon was heard on radio intimating that the instrument is not a financial one, therefore, can originate in the Senate; on the other hand, some lawmakers notably Rep. Acarous Gray has averred on radio that it is a financial bill and as such it must originate in the House consistent with Article 34 of the 1986 Constitution.
“This is for the debate of the Senate. Once that glitch is resolved and the bill is eventually considered formally tabled for deliberations, the below points do strongly inform my decision why passage is beneficial,” Weh noted in his communication.
National Benefits:
According to Weh, the bill satisfies a provision as enshrined in Article 36 of the 1986 Constitution. It states: “The Senators and Representatives shall receive from the Republic remuneration for their services to be fixed by law, provided that any increase shall become effective at the beginning of the next fiscal year”.
There is an argument that the fixed remuneration as stated herein is annually captured in the National Budget which is law. The 5k bill, however, sets the stage for critical reform from fixed remuneration in the generalized budget law to a specific and appropriate legislation.
Weh’ communication: “There is a phrase in Article 5 (c) of the Constitution that says “appropriate legislation”. If there is appropriate (specific) legislation then one will surmise there is superficial/general legislation. An exclusively tabled bill is considered appropriate (draft) legislation for fixed remuneration by law.
“The bill also addresses the second part of Article 36 which states: “provided that any increase shall become effective at the beginning of the next fiscal year” by discouraging current and future Members of the Legislature from effecting increase during times such as recast budget deliberations, if any has been as citizens in some quarters have been vehemently voicing out. To put an end to one’s words against another on this, a specifically appropriate (draft) Act is necessary.”
He stated that the bill is viewed as a “redemptive” instrument. “For too long, some constituents of the lawmakers have stomached an uncompromising position and mindset about lawmakers, that they are “selfish and greedy”.
“Over the years, Lawmakers in this country are viewed as the worst batch of public servants in Liberia. If such bill is passed it will serve as the commencing point of you Honorable lawmakers redeeming your character and personality from incessant verbal insults.
“It will now be known that Members who all along have been branded selfish and greedy are now taking bare minimum of 5k from between 12-15k. The enviable prestige and persona of some lawmakers, if not all, would have been redeemed to a large extent, moving forward.”
“The bill unlike other bills such as those like community colleges, administrative districts and cities in the last thirteen (13) years conceived, drafted or sponsored by lawmakers for passage drew from the already plummeted coffers with additional employees to the already over-bloated employment base.”
“In contrast, the 5k Maximum Bill saves fund for more critical use for the direct benefits of the people under the democratic greatest good for the greatest number principle.”